CHAD HESTIA (DanMachi - Hestia SI Chapter 1)

I paused at the ledge at the edge of the sky.

Where am I?

I looked around, taking Tenkai—Woah!—in all its splendor around me.

Beauty and vastness in architecture beyond mortal skill—So that's what it looked like.

The "ledge" I was standing on, intricately designed and firm, was made of clouds. After the ledge was a different sky, than the sky I stood in.

The "different sky" was a swirl of colors that was less vibrant than the colors of the sky of Tenkai.

The gate to Gekai, the Lower World. The Mortal World.

It was beautiful—Really?—even as it seemed less, it was more real than the repetitive "perfect" beauty of heaven—Why would I think that?

Just as I had that thought, I felt a sense of vertigo. Finally those two modes of thinking coincided, as two sets of memories came together.

I was a goddess.

I was Maxine Steele, "called me Max". A woman was a very ridiculous name that implied a much grander life, than my humble upbringing showed. So I tried to live up to that name. Motorcycling. Skiing. Gliding. Parachuting. Rock band. Airplane pilot. Died due to mistaken identity.

Yeeeeeah, turns out when you have a name as stupid as mine, and live the "awesome" life that I do, there is a small slight chance that... some fucking government desk jocky somewhere in the FBI, CIA or something else, will make a note, to check if you're a spy, or "national asset" or whatever. And then some rivaling government spy group that hack or steal info from the USA's false database or whatever the fuck that explanation was from the agent guy, said rival spy agency, will think you're one of the US "field agents".

I died in a blazing airplane piloting into the middle of an extremely violent thunderstorm, all to destroy that bomb, or whatever it was I ended up with.

In my defense, the last twenty four hours rushed at me very fast. I really hope I didn't die for nothing.

I never got to retire and have that family.

And now? I am also a goddess.

A goddess. Eternal and beautiful. Forever alone. Wanting to experience love and family, that was real. Authentic.

A goddess in the world of DanMachi. So maybe this all worked out after all.

I am...

"Oi, Hestia, if you're having second thoughts, there's a lot of other gods that would love to have your ticket." A grumpy, whiny old voice, said from a bit behind me.

I gave a deadpan frown, as I looked back, without thinking about it, already knowing who it was.

How did that desk and god get here, when they weren't anywhere close a few moments ago? Oh, right space stretchy movement.

...Wow, Hestia. You really called it that?

Back at the start of the "ledge" was a old guy sitting at a desk, like an office clerk. He was an old guy, with a bald head, and old guy white hair on the sides, with an old guy hunch, and old guy bags under his eyes.

"Hey! How many times are you gonna think 'old' at me?" Cried out the elder god. "Oi!"

Huh? I'm pretty sure my Arcanum was still working just fine, with my thoughts hidden to myself. I haven't sealed it yet.

"It's very obvious on your face, brat!" Shouted Amun Ra, the Egyptian God of the Sun.

"Well, stop rushing me old man, it's not like anyone else is here!" I shouted back.

"Some of the others gods, are wondering what's taking so long? Sure, no one else is going down for a few years till the paperwork is done, or someone comes back up, but it's like you're edging them. Just leave already." Amun Ra gestured with a shooing motion with his hand.

Looked back... and with my divine sight, far away, at the start of this sky temple, yeah I could see all the gods that were watching. Those that had free time, or skipped work, or just gazing in my direction, while acting like they were working, were all looking at me, with various reactions. Some in anticipation, some bored, and some in envy.

"I was having an inner monologue!" I shouted at them. "Let me have my moment!"

"Just jump already!" One shouted.

"Do you have to rub it in our faces! Have your chuuni moments downstairs." Another called out.

"Why did it have to be you already? Why do you even want to go, you frickin NEET!?"

"It's called touching grass! You'd know what that is, if you got out of your cave!" I shouted back at the last one. I growled and huffed. The moment was ruined.

"Do a flip!" Called out Anansi.

"Your shoes untied!" I called back... Wait, he seriously fell for that!? Isn't he the African God of All Stories?

A wizened laughter came from Amun Ra.

"So, not nervous anymore?" He asked.

"Wasn't nervous to begin with old man!" I called out.

I took a deep breath, and the world slowed as my thoughts accelerated.

Okay.

I am Hestia, and I am definitely at the absolute start of DanMachi.

...Damn. I have no idea what that means timeline wise. I stopped reading the manga very early on. Bought all the volumes and didn't read shit of them because I kept putting it off till later.

Welp, guess I have to freestyle it.

What's important that I remember?

Freya is nuts. Aiz is umu broken bird. Washboard Loki got a dump truck. Maybe? Silverback incident was/will be scary.

Bell's stupid cheat skill isn't abused enough. I remember reading that in a forum somewhere.

Why? Because the One-Eyed Black Dragon attacks Orario one year after canon starts.

Oh fuck I have one year till end game. Or maybe more depending on how long it takes for me to meet Bell by canon time, whichever that was.

Maaan, so much pressure!

"...Fuck it. We ball." I nodded to myself.

I'll operate that its one year in order get ahead of the problem.

I look down, at the Lower World to get a location on where I will land.

Most gods just head for Orario or close to it. Some just pick a "random" location by letting Fate choose for them.

I search... and found the perfect landing location.

I grinned.

With a mental pull of Will, my Arcanum shined as I used my Godly Cosmic Magical Powers and created...

"Hey! You know the rules, no cheating by taking Broken OP Items with you, like..."

Aviator sunglasses, and slapped them on my face.

"Seriously?"

"Heh." I grinned. I then changed my eye color to be warm orange that could be mistaken for brown. Same color as a cozy flame for a bonfire, or a hearth. "Thanks for being here, Ol' Sun Chief."

"Che—It's Great God of the Sun that Illuminates Creation, you brat!" Amun Ra shook his fist at me.

"Haha. Nope~."

"Ergh, so disrespectful. And since when were you this annoying?" He asked, not really all that offended. He was too old to actually care about the little stuff.

"New adventure, new me." I grinned widely, and turned to ledge. "Now watch me dunk on all these noobs by actually winning this game and beating the Dungeon."

I didn't wait to hear the old sun god's reply.

I stepped forward and fell.

Fire and swirling lights enveloped me as I descended to the Lower World like a comet.

Bell Cranel sat in front of his house. He watch the ground, the grass, felt the wind, and looked over his village that he lived in all his life.

His mind was a whirlwind, as he sat in quiet contemplation.

A week ago, his grandpa died.

It all seemed so sudden. He didn't even see the body. But then again, his grandfather fell into a monster nest, there would be no body left.

He had cried, he had wallowed in sadness, he languid in bed, not wanting to go hunt for food, and make pelts to sell. He just wanted to let the sadness envelop him.

But eventually, as he sat in his house. His lonely house, he kept seeing his grandpa everywhere. The places they talked, laughed and shared stories.

"Protect your comrades, save the girl and wager your life. Only someone that wager his own life can be called a hero."

His grandpa's words echoed in his head with blinding clarity.

"You may break, you may fall. Weep if you must. The winner inevitably will be among the losers at some point."

Bell stood up, looking at the red sky with setting sun. His eyes shining with newfound determination.

"Yet... never stop following your dreams. Cry out your desires."

Haven't he always said that one day become a hero. So that losses like he felt would never happen to others.

So that he can impress girls, and romance them like a dashing knight. Living a love story with that is as heart pumping as it is sweet and comforting.

"Then... that is when, you'll be, the coolest man there is!"

"That's right." Bell said with a low voice that started to rise up. "I always told grandpa that one day I would do it. So I will!" He shouted to the heavens, as a star shined with bright light.

"I swear to you, grandpa. I will make it real. I'll become an adventurer!"

Unnoticed by Bell, a bright light that was drawing near.

"I'll forge a great legend!" Bell Cranel cried out, eyes shut as he threw his head up and shouted. "I'LL BECOME A HERO!"

BOOM!

A wave of force and light rang out behind Bell.

"ACK!" Bell cried out and fell on his butt, as the ground shook from the impact of something heavy falling on the earth. "W-What was that?! A monster!" Bell cried out in fear, as he jump up to look around...

"The barn!" He cried out as the barn was partially on fire.

And had a massive gaping hole in the roof.

Bell's jaw dropped as he couldn't comprehend what happened to cause this.

The barn door then started to shake. Bell looked on in fear of what fiery monster fell in their. Yet, his better nature shined through as he worried if maybe some of the kids went there on a lark.

Bell ran to the barn door.

Something pounded on the barn door from the inside, making Bell stop in worry.

CRASH!

Then barn door broke, Bell seeing a short, supple leg with a slipper on, having been what broke the door open.

A goddess walked out.

Even if he never met one before, he could instinctively feel it. The aura of divinity.

Did... Did a goddess just descend and at his house? Did my wish to be an adventurer cause this to happen!?

"You there, young man!" The goddess pointed at him.

"Y-YES!" He cried out, standing straight. He couldn't see the goddess's eyes. She wore some odd set of spectacles, yet he wasn't sure if they were for reading. They were dark, and didn't show her eyes.

"What's your name?" She grinned at him.

"B-Bell! Bell Cranel." Bell said quickly, before adopting a more worried tone. "Are you okay, Lady Goddess? What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked.

"I'm fine. I was just descending and ended up hitting the place here. My bad." The goddess waved him off, looking completely fine. "Anyways," The goddess came right up to Bell's face. She only came up to his shoulder, yet looking at him, her presence seemed overwhelming.

He could see over the black glasses now.

Bell saw her eyes and his breath was lost.

Her eyes were as orange as dawn. They glowed like jewels of fire feeling like a strong sun on a cold day. Warm and inviting. Yet they held a swirl of madness underneath them.

And his grandpa's words resonated once more in his mind.

"Bell, when it comes to love, love with all your heart. Love any girl of any race. Variety is the spice of life, and every girl is a treasure waiting to be discovered." Then his grandpa's voice too a dreadfully serious tone. "But don't date goddesses. Seriously, don't do it. You try and be nice to them once, maybe dinner and calling her cute, and suddenly you have a crazed yandere after your soul and holding it by the balls."

"Huh? I don't get it, Grandpa."

Said his 9 year old self.

"Errr, a-hem. I mean, you are mortal, an ephemeral existence. She's immortal. That love can't last. Eventually you will fade to time, and that loss will stay with her forever. It would just be cruel."

"Awww, that's sad."

"Yep. It's not like they can make you immortal, or chase your ass through reincarnation or something."

"What?"

"Love is about burning bright together. Guts! It's about guts!"

"Guts!"

Bell shook the memory away. What the heck was his grandpa talking about toward the end?

"Bell."

"Eeek! Ah, yes, goddess?" Bell jumped back, lose his balance, and fell on his ass again.

The goddess then stood over him, the slowly burning barn behind her illuminated her frame. It was an ominous scene, yet somehow also majestic.

The goddess dramatically pointed at his face.

"I am Hestia! Goddess of the Home and Hearth! I have come down to this world to create the greatest Familia this world has ever seen. To be the ones who will defeat the Dungeon and bring salvation to this world once and for all." Hestia declared, Bell feel his heart beat with awe at the surety she spoke with. So this was a goddess. "Bell Cranel, you will join my Familia as its first member!"

"Eh?" Bell blinked as he was shocked at this sudden turn of events. Wasn't this too fast? He only made his resolve a few seconds ago.

"Your refusal is rejected. The possibility is stillborn. Now strip."

"EEEK!" Bell tried to cover his chest in an act of chastity.

He failed.